Perforating-machine



H. N wlLUAMS. PERFORMING MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON FILED Pill. 10. 1955.

Patented July 29, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEEF I.

f1 01 rt Mill! liama,

[Wit/20510.5"

R. N. WILLIAMS.

PERFORAHNG MACHINE,

APPLICATION FILED NOV, 10. nus.

Patented July 29, 1918:.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 l lllllllllll ll Iflfiz ages.- 120.662! M917? By 72 ion my,

mans, pt

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT NEIL WILLIAMS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ABBIGNOR TO POWERS ACCOUNTING MAC INE COMPANY, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A OORI-OMTION O1! DELAWARE.

PERFbRATING-MAOHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1919.

Application filed November 10, 1915. Serial No. 80,882.

To all ichom it may concern:

Be it k own that I, Bonsai-Nun. WIL- iitiaen ot the United States of America r siding in London, En land, have invented! certain new and usefu Improvements in Perforatin -Machines, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to improvements in perforating machines designed for use in the perforation of cards for tabulatin and like machinesrwhich cards are divide into a number of fields, such fields representing the various data or matters concerned.

In use, the perforated cards are passed through a. tabulating machine with which are associated counters, whereb the value represented by the various per orations in each field in successive cards are added together,

It is sometimes found desirable, however, to record not only the cumulative value of the various perforations in the respective fields in successive cards, but also the number of times thatany one field in a series of cards has bceirperforated.

.The presentlnventio'n has for to provide me 5 whereby the ca d in its passage throng the perforatin machine, shall, in additio to the perforations in the respective fields receive other perforations which indicate whether or not the cards rcceivg: a perforntionin any one field.

The present invention has for its further object to provide for the automatic formation of one or more perforations indicative of any one or more facts which are consequent upon any one or more-of a series of other facts, which are recorded by the operat-or. Upon the other hand, the fact to be recorded may simply be the number of times that the cards are provided with a perforation or perforations in any one field. In other words, each time a perforation or perforations is or are made in any one field or fields, one or more perforations is or are automatically made'in the card so that as they pass through the counting machine the total of all the fields receiving a perforation is secured.

Broad y defined, the means whereby the desired hjoot is attained comprises a movable no nber or members which is or are so assoi atcd with the selective mechanism whereby the punches are set by the operator to punch the card that when the said mechaits object.

nisni is set any or all of the. movable lllt'lll bers as the case may beare caused to assume 'a position such as to cause the formation of the desired perforation or perforations better lllltlfllStOOti drawings are appended in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation. partly in section, of a perforating mechanism. construct ed in accordance with the present improve ment;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan \iew of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line l4 of Fig. Zl;

Fig. 5, is a vertical sectional vicw taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is illustrated as applied to the type of machines forming the subject of U. h. latents 1,086,397 and (382.197, and in which a series of settable slides are employed cuntrolled by keyslides. the settable slides being,

provided with a projection which, when the slides are set are each brought over the head of one of a series of punches, which is thoroupon held rigid against the advanciof a die plate. The card is placed between the punches and the die plate so that when vsaid plate is advanced those punches over which the aforesaid projections have been located are caused to perforate the card.

Referring nowto the acconnmnying drawings in detail, in which like rct'cwnco characters designate. similar parts throughout the several figures, (I (Fig. 1) indicates the die plate. I; a guide platefor the punclu's c, and (1 indicates the slides controlled bv ke vsiides it throu h the medium of lovers II, both of said e ements living opcralivcly mounted in a frame work 5 as is t'lt'tti'l) shown and described in said N. H. Patent. 1.036397. The slides (l are provided with projections such as 1 indicates a plate secured by means of screws 3. tolhc. frame of the main machine y. The plate l is provided with a number of rectaiuzular pen engage the upper surfaces of the aforesaid slides d. The cards which are fed into the machine similar to the card feed described in said U. S. Patent. 1,086,397, are divided into fields, each field containing a certain number of columns in accordance with the value represented by the perforations. Thus where the field represents pounds, shillings and pence, there will be three slides ii. For each column in the held there will be a corresponding number of slides, and consequently a corresponding number of rollers 5 will be provided upon the particular plug 3 representing the field, it being understood that in the case illustrated it is simply desired to moon! upon a separate field on the card, which of the main fields have been punched. The field just referred to, for

urposes of identification, is hereafter rellerred to as a field ke The slides d are recessed at a", the rol ers 5 normall lying in the recesses as shown, and the ront walls of the recesses are each provided with an inclined surface a! so that as the slides (l are )ulled forward by means of the levers 03'', he rollers 5 runnin up the said incline d, cause the plu s 3 to he raised. livotally mounted upon b ocks 6 secured by screws 7 to the upper surface of plate 1, are bell crank levers 8, the horizontal member of each of which lies just above the upper end of one of the perforations in plate 1 and one of the blocks 3. Slidably mounted in uides 9 and 9, secured by screws to the upper surface of plate 1 are horizontal rods 10 and 10 of rectan ular cross sectional outline and which ro s at their outer ends are disposed adjacent a, number of perforations 12, arranged transversely of plate 1 and forming guides for pins 11 rcciprocatably mounted, which ins rest upon the heads of the punches 0. lhe length of the pins 11 is such that their upper ends normally are flush with the upper surface of plate 1. Consequently, when the rods 10 are ud- \anrod in the direction of the arrow their ends more or less cover the ends of pins 1t, which are thereupon prevented from rising as the die late a is forced up, and the punches per orate the card. In the present instance there are 10 fields upon the card, of which it is desired to obtain a record in the field key, and therefore a. corresponding number of punches c, and pins 11 are provided, the said punches from the front to the back of plate 1 representin the corresponding fields and being so num cred 0n the drawings. Obviously, the arrangement of the perforations in the field key may be raised as may be found convenient or desirable. In the present: instance the main fields 2 and 3 contain two columns only and of the fields 4 nd 5 a record is required in only one of the said fields at one time, Provision is therefore made whereby the operator may select either of the desired fields 4 and 5, which is to be represented in the field key. To this end there is provided a lever 13 slidably and ivotally mounted upon the upper surface 0 plate 1 b means o the slot 14 therein through whici passes a screw 15. A rod to attzwln-d to the lever 13 connects same with a hand actuated lever us carried by a bracket 17, mounted don the front of the framework of the machine.

The automatic operation of the lever 13 is secured by means of the rod 10 ich is recessed at 10" for the passage of c said lever 13, the edges of the recess en agin the sides of the lever so that when t 0 re 10" is operated the lever will be swung upon its pivot 15 and according to its position its curved outer end 13 will'cover either the perforation 4 or 5 in the plate 1. The rods 10 are returned'to their normal position by 86 means of sprin s 18. In order to keep the.

arrangement within the capacity of late 1,

the rods for the Iperforations 8 an 9 instead of moving t irectly over their respective perforations operate levers whereby the (wavering of the said wrforation is effected.

Thus in the case. of tie means for covering the perforation H. there is provided a lever 19 photally mounted at It)" to the upper surface of the plate 1. said lever projecting 96 in a .-;lot 19 in the rod 1t) which rod is slotted sufficiently to enable the aforesaid lever 13 to move freely without affecting the said rod 10 In the case of the perforation 9 there is provided a lever 20 pivotally 10o mounted upon a? block 21, one end of the lever being disposed directly over the plug The opposite end of lever 20 engages a second lever 22 havin a pivotal connection. at 23 with a rod 10 moving in uides 24', 95 secured to the up or surface 0 plate 1, the latter guide 525 a, so having slots for the aforementioned rods 10 and the rod 10 for actuating the lever covering the per- Fr m he above it will be seen that the perforations marked 0, 1, 2 and 3 are covered by the reciprocation of the rods 10; the erforations marked 4 and 5 covered y the rocking of'the lever 13 aboutilb its pivot; the perforations 6 and 7 are covered by the reciprocation of rods 10; the perforation 8 is covered by a rocking of the arm 19; and the perforation it is covered by a reciprocation of the rod 10.

The operation is as follows:

The desired key slides d being sotbytha operator cause a setting of thccorrcspbml ing: slides d the projections [thereon-"coming over the punches it is desired shall operate. 126 The setting of a slide d causes the partiefilm plug 3 associated therewith to he raised, ever 8 to turn upon its pivot, and the. Nd 10 to he pushed forward, causin the appro priate perforation in the plateq to be cov- 130 ered when the punches c, being unable to rise, )roduce the desired perforations in the iield ltey. Upon the release of le key levers and their return to their norm osition, the springs 18 return the rods 11, 10 and ll)". and at thesame time turn the lovers t5, which in their turn pr upon the tops of the plugs 3 and press them down into a position ready for the next operation.

In the alternative arrangement already referred to in which the perforations in the field hey are indicative of a fact consequent upon any one or more of a series of other facts recorded by the operator, assuming it is desired to take a census of the population of a country and at; the. same time to ascertain the number of persons qualified to vote, and assuming this census to be made in America. the return would have to be examined to ascertain whether the individual were, for instance, a male. twenty-one years of age or over, of native birth or naturalized, not a pauper unless a veteran, and not mentally unfit. Under these circumstances the mental operation necessary to determine the qualified from the unqualified would have to be repeated a great number of times, say l10.()00,0t)0. .By means of the present invention the operator will, in recording the facts appropriate to each individual is" or is not qualified to vote.

In this case the operating surfaces on the punch setting slides are so arranged that a consequential setting of the qualifying punch is automatically sccured. Thus for example assuming the punch controlling slide to have been set to produce a' perforation consequent upon the recording by the operator of the facts that the individual i white, naturalized, not. av pauper, twenty-one years of age or over. The facts so far recorded are in favor of the individual being qualified to vote. However, it in so setting up data by means of the various slide keys the opcrato" actuatcs one of the slides (l with which en ct the rollers 5 is associated, one of the perforations marked 09 will he covert-d through. the mechanism heretofore described, and an additional perforation made on the card automatically and unknown to the op erator. The numbers ()"9 may represent insanity," pauperismf idiotf citizenship, veteran etc. respectively, some of which notations would disqualify the voter and others permit the vote to stand. After the card has been perforated by the voter with the data he desires, and also with data as explained above, unknown to him, the cards may then be passed through any Well known sorting machine for perforated records. The sorting machine is first set to analyze idiot pauperism, etc., so that cards having these perforations will be sorted out from those bearing citizenship, veteran etc., and in this Way the legal and good \otcs, separated from the illegal and unqualified votes.

t'laims:

1. la a punching device, the combination of a group of operable punches; at single supplemental punch associated with the group: and means for bringing about the operation of the supplemental punch whenever any one of the punches of the group is operated.

2. In a punching device, the combination of a plurality of groups of operable punches; a supplemental punch associated with each group: and means for causing a punch of any group and the associated supplemental punch to be simultaneously operated.

it. In a card punch, the combination of a plurality of groups of operable punches: at single supplemental punch associated with each group; means for causing the operation of any punch of any group; and means for bringing about the operation of a supplemental punch whenever any punch in its associated group is operated.

4. In a punch forperforating record ards for use in tabulating and sorting machines the combination with slides controlling the operation of a series of punches of a second series of punches controlled by members set by the slides controlling the punches ol' the first series and by means of which second series of punches perforations are automatically punched whenever a pun h in the first scries is caused to punch a definite combination of holes.

In a punch i'orperforatiug record cards for use in tabulatiug and sorting machines the combination with slides controlling the operation of a series of punches of cam surfaces upon the lirst slides, a second series of slides, means operated by the cam surfaces to actuate said second slides, a second series of punches, and means for retaining said punches in the operative position actuated by the second series of slides.

(3. In a punch fol-perforating record cards for use in talmlating and sortin machines the combination with slides conti'olling the operation of a series of punches, a second series of slides, a support for said slides, perforations in said support, a number oi plugs engaging, said perforations and adapted to operate the slides, rollers on said plugs, cam surfaces upon the first slides engaging said rollcrs, a second series of punches, pins resting upon said punches, the operation of the pins and through them that of the second series of punches being controlled by the slides of the second series.

7. .ln a punch for perforating record cards for use in tabulating and sorting machines the combination with slides controlling the operation of a series of'punches, of a second series of slides, a supporting plate for said slides, perforations in said support, a 11mm her of plugs engaging said perforations and adapted to operate the slides, hell crank levers pivotally mounted upon the aforesaid plate, a second series of slides also mounted upon said plate and operated by said levers, rollers upon the plugs, cam surfaces upon the slides of the first series engaging said rollers, springs operating the slides of the second series against the levers, a second series of punches and pins resting upon said punches, the operation ofthe pins and through them the operation of the second series of punches being controlled by the slides of the second series.

R. In a punch for perforating record cards for use in tabulating and sorting machines the combination with slides controlling the operation of the punches and means for controlling the operation of a second series of punches controlled by said slides of means whereby the operation of certain of the second series of punches may be controlled by hand.

9. In a punch for perforating record cards for use in tabulating and sorting machines, a main series of groups of punches, a secondary series of single punches, each associated with one of said groups of punches, means for effecting a consequential setting of the second series, said setting means for the secondary series of punches being controlled by the setting of thepunches of the first series.

10. In a punch for perforating record cards for use in tabulating and sorting machines. a main series of punches, a secondary series of punches, means for setting the punches of the secondary series controlled by the setting of the punches of the first series, and means whereby the setting of the punches of the secondary series may 'be altered in consequence of the setting of certain punches of the main series, the effect being that the formation of perforations by the secondary punches is controlled by a plurality of settings of the punches of the rst series.

l1. In a punch for perforating record cards for use in tabulating and sorting machines, the combination with a series of punches, slides for controllinn their 0 eration, a second series of one es, mem rs for controlling them, sai the slides controlling the punches of the first series and by means of said second series of punches perforations are automatically punched whenever a punch in the first series is caused to punch any one of a. given number of holes.

12. In a punch for perforating record cards for use in. tabulmting and sortin machines, the combination with a series of punches, slides for controlling their operation, a second series of punches, reciprocating members for controlling them, said reciprocating members set by the slides controlling the punches of the first series and by means of said second series of punches perforations are automatically punched whenever a punch in the first series is caused to punch any one of a given number of holes.

members Set by 13. In a punch for perforating record cards for use in tabulating and sorting machines, the combination with a. series of punches, members for controlling their operation, of a second series of punches, members for controlling them, said'members set by the first mentioned members controlling the punches of the first series; and b means of said second series of punches per orations are automatically punched whenever a punch in the first series is caused to punch any one of a given number of holes.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the two undersigned witnesses.

ROBERT NEIL WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. JAoK, Gnacn H. PETERS. 

